Jack Carroll promises Bobby will bring "chaos" to Coronation Street

"He is a kind of lovable trouble-causer really, I think. He gets away with a lot, and kind of leans on his cheekiness and his disability. I wouldn't know anything about either of those two things, so it's been quite the stretch for me to play! But he's a humorous character, and kind of in that vein of a classic Corrie, funny kind of rabble-rouser."

Describing what we can expect from Bobby in his early scenes, he added: "I'm in the factory. Luckily not modelling any of the merchandise as of yet - I don't know what they've got in the future! I'm in the factory and Carla's managed to swing me a job in the factory, so there's a lot of me causing chaos in there as well. So that's been really good fun."

That chaos will expand in ways that go beyond long-suffering Carla, hints Carroll. Yes, romance will blossom for Bobby!

"He's got his eye on somebody, I don't really think I'm allowed to say who that is yet; but it's definitely something I think we've got planned for the future. That'll be good fun as well, because that's just another aspect of his chaos-causing behaviour!"

Asked more about the dynamic between Carla and Bobby, who rocks up just after her husband Peter (Chris Gascoyne) has left Weatherfield, the actor declares they could be the Street's new comedy pairing.

"I don't know whether it's a slight emotional manipulation tactic on Bobby's part, but I think he expects her to be a kind of familial element of familiarity right there from the beginning; and obviously Carla's not really that kind of personality.

"So it takes a little while for her to warm to him, and that is very funny. And then he does kind of sense this familiarity amongst that, and a double act begins to materialise, and it becomes a double act so that's been really fun to do. Those first few scenes are almost like little two-hander sketches really, which I think have played really well."

Looking ahead to 2024, Carroll offered early hints to a huge story that will see Bobby in the spotlight. "I only found out yesterday the kind of nuts and bolts of what the story is, and it's very, very exciting. I would even go so far as to say blockbuster.

"There's always a little bit of apprehension, because I'd only been there a week or a couple of weeks, and then I found out that I was going to be a part of this massive storyline.

"But I think after that dissipates a little bit, then you're just very excited to get stuck in, and that's where I'm at now, I just can't wait to get working and expand on the character, and see what craziness they put me in."

Summing up how it feels to be joining Coronation Street this festive season, Carroll grinned: "It's absolutely fantastic, and I don't really think there's any better time of year, really, because everyone will be hopefully glued to their television screens, and I'll be there causing chaos and distracting them from their selection boxes, which is a great honour!"

Read more:

• Coronation Street confirms Boxing Day two-hander for Peter Barlow exit
• Coronation Street winter 2023 preview and spoilers
• Will Mellor confirmed for return to Coronation Street as killer Harvey Gaskell

Coronation Street airs weeknights on ITV. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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